Jack of all trades… master of none.

That’s me. I’ll be honest. I’m up front about it! I’m no florist, I’m no photographer, but I AM in love with all things art. So, it lends itself naturally to sucking me in during different seasons of my life. Lisa has been sweet enough to take advantage of this- as well as another client or two who shall be revealed at a later time- by allowing me the opportunity to do some fun and funky flowers for her.

The theme: peacock. Her wedding colors are kelly green, teal, and black with ivory as the base [and not white]. Since, for flowers, the selection is bleak, I played up the funky factor and went full force. A quick, ROUGH trial of what she’ll be seeing coming her June wedding…

Blue stem-dyed vendelah roses, lush deep fuscia dahlias, kermit mums, plum calla lillies, and purple mokara orchids. YUM in a word. Mix in a few peacock eyes and a black glass vase and we’re in business.

We’ve decided to go with a smaller size vase than this, so that we can PACK the flowers inside instead of arranging them a bit more sparse-like, as they are in these photos. Like I said- a rough trial!

Luckily, the venue is providing us with these kickin’ teal linens, which will tie in all of our colors easily. SO fun. Seriously.

It should be VERY stressful and simultaneously VERY fun. I definitely have a passion for floral work but taking on multiple weddings at this point in the game is -as Josh continually tells me- unwise as I don’t have the space and conditions yet to accommodate this passion. :)

Once I do- trust me, you’ll know. Until then, enjoy the arrangements I make for my own personal fulfillment.
Hope you loved this as much as we did.

xoxo!

A.

This just in! There’s a HUGE sale for an event BETTER cause going on this weekend in Anaheim!

Christine Saunders of The Spiraled Stem sent this over to me, and it’s too good not to pass on to all of you!!

This Friday and Saturday February 27-28, the Brides Against Breast Cancer Nationwide Tour of Gowns stops in Anaheim! For two days only, brides can shop from a huge selection of wedding dresses in all sizes and with prices at 25-75% below retail. These beautiful wedding dresses have been donated by past brides, designers, salons, and manufacturers so that proceeds from the sales go to benefit Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization which grants end of live wishes for terminally ill metastatic stage IV breast cancer patients.

Power Hours
Making Memories will host special morning hours of operation to offer brides a “sneak peak” and first pick of the thousands of gowns available for her one special day. “Power Hours” are on Friday, February 27, 2009, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – admission is $20, advanced registration is required, and space is limited.

Here are the details on the Brides Against Breast Cancer Wedding Dress Sale:

Location
Anaheim Marriott Suites Hotel 12015 Harbor Blvd Garden Grove, CA

Hours
Power Hours:
Friday, February 27, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Gown Sale:
Friday, February 27, 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Pre-Registration
Power Hour
Brides
Volunteers

Payment
Cash and credit cards are welcome. General admission is FREE.

BONUS!
A coupon worth $50 off any gown over $500 or $25 off any gown from $250 to $499 will be printed in the Orange County Register and the LA Times – Orange County Edition on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for additional savings! Brides must present the coupon clipped from the newspaper to redeem the discount.

To find out more- visit their websites by clicking HERE!!!

I wish I could be there myself but unfortunately no matter HOW I work my calendar I just can’t find the time. :( Next year for SURE! Hope to hear some fabulous stories about you getting great deals for a great cause!

xoxo,

A.

So of course from time to time, I mosey on over to my listing on Project Wedding to see if any new reviews are up, ensure that all of my clients are happy, and check up on the status of the industry.

I was SO pleased tonight when I went over there and saw their BRAND new format for their vendor review pages. TOTALLY love it. Easy to read. Pretty to look at. Thorough and friendly. It makes me 100% happy.

If you aren’t really sure what Project Wedding is, and you’re trying to plan a wedding in southern California… you are missing the boat. They are probably THE most comprehensive vendor review site for So. Cal. vendors and I heart them SO big time. They enable engaged [and married] couples to set up a profile, search through inspiration images and real wedding pictures, chat with other brides and grooms, and of course- read vendor reviews from REAL clients, REAL PW members. They’ve been a huge part in my career and for that I am so grateful!

To stand on my soap box for a bit: it may sound like a broken record, but review your vendors! If you’re engaged right now, you know how overwhelming it can be, when you feel like you’re blindfolded picking these people and trusting them with your money and your most important day. Reviews from REAL clients that are unsolicited [as in NOT on the company website] are so crucial to knowing who you’re doing business with. You can see a ton of vendors that will pay for a booth at a bridal show- but unless you do your research, you won’t really KNOW. So when I say that PW made my career- I mean it. I am eternally in debt to my clients who took the time out of their busy newly-wed lives to spread the word about their experience with me. It’s such an important [and often overlooked] post-wedding element, I beg of you- make it a priority… if not just for me, for ALL of your vendors. Our integrity counts on it!

Alright- enough drama for one day. Now, GO TAKE A LOOK… it’s beautiful over there!

xoxo!

A.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Erin this Friday alongside of my trusty team member, Miriam, who will be coordinating Erin and Adam’s big day. I must admit- each time I meet up with them I fall in love a bit more with Erin, her awesome personality, and her wedding a bit more! I am so SO jealous that I won’t get to be there but I’m sure that I’ll be living vicariously through her wedding day pictures as much as I am living through her e-session, both compliments of the lovely team at Eight 20 Photography.

I HEART that they shot in Downtown LA, right by where Erin’s wedding will be [ceremony on the USC campus and the reception nearby at the City Club on Bunker Hill- the makings of a perfect day are already in place [complete with detailed folders full of contracts, timelines, and info given to us today IN THE MATCHING WEDDING COLORS]. You know I love her, right? Of course.

LOVE this one, soo cute:

Hands down, my FAVORITE:

E+A: you know Miriam is SO looking forward to your big day and all of the personality and warmth that you’re infusing into it. We’re so happy that we get to represent you and what your love is about. Only a few more weeks, and I’ll get to see you on the OTHER side of the ring!!

xoxo,

A.

I absolutely am SO into the banquet table idea right now. I love it for a group of 50 or so, in an intimate setting. But more than that, these fresh, simple ketchup-colored buckets with large white pouffy dahlias are the best thing I’ve seen all week! I’ve been cleaning out my photo program on the old laptop and stumbled across it and threw it into my “inspiration” folder [we all need one, right]- but I have NO clue where I found it! Anyone happen to know??

Hope that your weekend is fresh, simple, and full of blooming love!

xoxo,

A.

Now, some of you may know how I feel about D.I.Y. flowers for your wedding day and if not you can read ALL about it HERE, when I wrote an article about it a few weeks back over at Elizabeth Anne Designs.

BUT- I do love flowers. I love them so much. I love them more than anything. And knowing how to arrange them for your life, your home, your family, your wedding… is so so gratifying. SO- learn! I suggest it. If you’re crafty at all, you will love it. There’s not a better forum than this to do it!

Summer over at Grey Likes Weddings [a fabulous new inspiration blog] is throwing a fun D.I.Y. workshop for floral design! You don’t need to be a pro but you DO need to have a fun attitude to go to a thing like this. Summer’s a GREAT floral designer and has done the wedding flowers for her 3 sisters [two this past year] and friends so far. Her florals are always lush, romantic, and beautifully arranged. I’ll bet if you attend, you won’t regret it! Now at $120 per person [or $140 for two people should you want to share supplies!], it’s not a “steal”- but taking home a fresh arrangement PLUS snacks and drinks while you’re there… so worth it! Sign up now- registration is now open!!

Go HERE to sign up and get more information about this great workshop opportunity! And for a little visual inspiration of Summer’s work [and a little 6-degrees-of-separation for you, too]:

This is the sisters, at Hayley’s wedding above, a few years back. Hayley [2nd from left] is married to Travis Ryan. Travis leads worship at Saddleback Church’s San Clemente Campus. This is where Josh plays bass every Sunday. They’re BFF.

This is Brooke and Trever’s wedding from summer of 2008, shot by the ever-fab and personal fave Michael Norwood. Not only was Michael a groomsman in this wedding, but Trever is the one who took the STUNNING photos of my Josh for his new EP [see the photos by clicking HERE... seriously EPIC status].

Summer, Hayley, Brooke, and Brittany all grew up as family friends with Michael Norwood, so he also shot Brittany’s wedding at the end of 2008. Some of Summer’s insane florals from that day:

I know, I know… they’re all gorgeous! BUT- look at the flowers, too! What a great gal to learn from, am I right?? Don’t delay- sign up today! If enough of my clients want to go [email me and tell me if you've registered], I’ll join you guys for the evening! Any excuse to hang out with my B’s for a night, right? What?? Oh, B’s means BRIDES you silly readers!!

xoxo,

A.

Or cakie snacks. Or doozies. Or sandwich cookies. Or cakesters. Whatever.

Inspired by Bakerella’s mouth-watering red velvet sandwich cookies, I embarked on a journey to make my own [as I'd been dying to bake for a bit anyway, plus I LOVE my cream cheese frosting recipe].

Taa daaaaa:

I went with lemon cake mix and cream cheese frosting filling.

They are SO yummy delish goodnesss. The jury has spoken [Josh, mom, sis, dad]!!! So glad that they’re having such overall appeal. Not only are they cute [even though I definitely consider this batch a "test batch"], but they’re easy and tasty.

I told Josh these are the types of things I’d like my kids to grow up with. The “family recipe” type of things that we make for birthdays and that remain special to them for all their lives. We’ll see, right??

Oh, and just for anyone who’s curious, here’s a snap Josh’s V-Day gift, to Sir with love:

Toadally into him.

xoxo,

A.

Be Mine???

Not sure if you remember what our family tradition is for Val Day [if you don't read last year's blog here], but it’s a doozie! This year is my year to give to Josh just EXACTLY what he never could ever possibly be interested in wanting. Can’t wait! I found it the other night at the grocery store and I’m confident it’s still sitting in the exact same place waiting for me. Since we’re both working a bit today, I can’t wait to whisk his gift off the shelf and then whip up some uber cute packaging for presenting it to him [after all, it's ALL about the packaging].

Do me a favor- kiss lots today!

xoxo,

A.